Paper 1- Compare "Antigone" and "A Streetcar Named Desire"

Gender Inequality Revision Gender inequality encompasses disadvantages for one gender, but advantages for another. In the plays, “Antigone” and “A Streetcar Named Desire” by Sophocles and Tennessee Williams, they discuss gender inequality. In the play, “Antigone”, Sophocles exhibits gender inequality through the characters Creon and Antigone. In the play, “A Streetcar Named Desire”, Tennessee Williams exhibits gender inequality through the characters Blanche and Stanley. Creon’s unwillingness to accept women is present in the fact that he does not realize his power has gone downhill until his son, Haemon dies, while Antigone only cares about her ideals. Blanche feels she can overpower men, while Stanley believes he could overrule women. Creon, Antigone, Stanley, and Blanche attempt to overcome gender inequality. They all face the challenges of ego, desires, and personality. In the play, Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone can’t face the truth of knowing she is not able to bury Polyneices. “No tears for me, no friends, no marriage. Brokenhearted I am led along the road ready before me. I shall never again be suffered to look on the holy eye of the day. But my fate claims no tears no friend cries for me” (Antigone 922-927). In other words, Antigone feels she does not need Haemon to help her. Antigone’s thought process is egoistic, which shows through her anger of having no one care for her. Desire is a burning belief or practice that never falters because of emotions. Antigone’s desire for burying Polyneices is a perfect example of her ability to test authority, Creon. When Antigone is about to get sentenced, Creon asks Ismene, “come tell me now, will you, too, say you bore a hand in the burial or will you swear that you know nothing of it” (Creon 586-588)? In other words, Creon immediately points the finger of blame at Ismene because she is Antigone’s sister. “Ask Creon; all your care was on his behalf” (Antigone 603). Ismene did not think it was necessary to defend Antigone until Creon said something, thus showing Antigone’s resistance toward authority and desire to stand behind what he believes in. Ultimately, Antigone acts the way she does is because of her personality. “Justice will not allow you what you refused and I will have none of your partnership” (Antigone 591-592). “Where the act was death, the dead are witnesses. I do not love a friend who loves in words” (Antigone 595-596). In other words, Antigone believes one speaks in action should also lead in the action. Antigone is willing to die for something she believes in, and if you do not believe in it, then don’t die for it. In the play Antigone, Creon treated women like women are beneath him. Creon wanted to bury Antigone for burying the dead. Creon said, “We cannot give victory to a women. If we accept defeat, let it be from a man” (Creon 729-730). Creon visualizes losing to a women as a sign of weakness, but Antigone has never been tested to be able to compete with men. Creon believes when a man loses to a woman, their pride and ego altered and the man is humbled. In addition, Creon’s ultimate goal is to rule with an iron fist. Creon is driven by the desire to let people know he is a dictator. In the play, Antigone, Creon says, “you woman’s slave, do not try to wheedle me” (Creon 814). Creon is willing to spite his own son to let people know he dislikes women. Creon calls his son a “woman’s slave”, which might have ignited Haemon’s ambition to commit suicide. Creon said, “I will bring her where the path is loneliest, and hide her alive in a rocky cavern there. I’ll give just enough of food as shall suffice for a bare expiation, that the city may avoid pollution. In that place she shall call on Hades, god of death, in her prayers” (Creon 833-838). “That god only she reveres. Perhaps she will win from him escape from death or at least in that last moment will recognize her honoring of the dead is labor lost” (Creon 838-841). Creon does not want to take responsibility for Antigone’s wrongdoing so, he places the trouble in the hands of the god of death, Hades. Creon’s desire to stay ancient in his ideals in jeopardizing his family life. He is willing to torture his niece in order to follow his laws. In essence, Creon’s authoritarian behavior came with ruling the land and personality changes when a person changes. “You villain, to bandy words with your own father” (Creon 798)! Creon is hypocritical in his ideals because when Haemon comes to Antigone’s aid, he is not punished but, Antigone is. Creon genuine dislike for young people stem from their sense of entitlement. As a result, Creon acts as a dictator to decrease the sense of entitlement. In addition, Blanche from “A Streetcar Named Desire” suffers from entitlement. “How do I look” (Blanche 1180)? Blanche is consumed with her self-image, her ego. “Oh, in my youth I excited some admiration. But look at me now! Would you think it possible that I was once considered to be attractive” (Blanche 1180)? In the play, “A Streetcar Named Desire”, Blanche struggles with having self-confidence so, she seeks admiration through others. Blanche desires control of her own actions. Blanche enjoys controlling men, but Stanley would not let it happen to him. Blanche said, “I cannot imagine any witch of a woman casting a spell over you” (Blanche 1180). Blanche is intending she now knows controlling Stanley is a hard task. Blanche also indicates she loves controlling men. Furthermore, Blanche’s desire to control men is vibrant in her personality. Blanche embodies a pushy, prima-donna personality. “I’m sorry, but I haven’t noticed the stamp of genius even on Stanley’s forehead” (Blanche 1186). Blanche has the audacity to talk about Stanley behind his back. “Light? Which light? What for” (Blanche 1223)? Everyone likes drama until they have to deal with, which is exemplified through light. Blanche likes drama and chooses to mask her love for drama through darkness. Furthermore, Blanche can’t comprehend Stanley’s decision to be idealistic. “Compliments to women about their looks. I never met a woman that didn’t know if she was good-looking or not without being told, and some of them give themselves credit for more than they’ve got” (Stanley 1180). This quote exemplifies Stanley’s genuine dislike for Blanche. “I once went out with a doll who said to me, I am the glamorous type, I am the glamorous type” (Stanley 1180)! I said, “So what” (Stanley 1180)? “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” (Professor J.Mignano-Brady). If someone else needs to tell one, one is beautiful, the person does not believe themselves to be beautiful. In addition, Stanley desires an audience to feel happy. Stanley made Blanche feel bad whenever Stella was around, which shows Stanley’s desire to have an audience for attention. “You hens cut out that conversation in there” (Stanley 1186)! Stanley makes sure he lets Blanche know, he is the authoritarian in the household. Stanley desires dominance in the poker game and in life. In addition, Stanley believes his beliefs are what people should exhibit. “You’re simple, straightforward and honest, a little bit on the primitive side I should think” (Blanche 1180). Stanley’s personality traits are explained through this quote. Stanley eliminates accommodation for others’ feelings in any situation he is placed in. Upon first meeting Blanche, Stanley says, “now let’s cut the rebop” (Stanley 1181). In other words, stop spilling lies and get to the point, which exhibits his straightforward personality trait. In the plays, “Antigone” and “A Streetcar Named Desire” by Sophocles and Tennessee Williams, the characters Antigone, Creon, Blanche and Stanley face difficulties that test their character. Although, Antigone and Creon disagree on several ideals, they concur in having a headstrong personality. In the play, “A Streetcar Named Desire”, Blanche and Stanley seem to exhibit polar opposites, but have similar ideals. Blanche, and Stanley similar to Antigone and Creon enjoy controlling the minds of others for the benefits of their beliefs, thus making gender inequality a product of its environment.